Premier Cardiovascular Health and Performance Podcast

#23: Building the Ultimate Hybrid Athlete—Strength, Endurance, and Tactical Performance with Drew Hammond

Episode Summary

Dr. Christopher Huff welcomes strength coach and human performance expert Drew Hammond to discuss the concept of the hybrid athlete.

Episode Notes

Hybrid training is gaining popularity, but what does it really mean to be a hybrid athlete? 

Many assume it’s simply about adding aerobic exercise to your current strength routine or vice versa, but the reality is more nuanced. Whether you're a tactical operator, mountain climber, or recreational athlete, balancing strength and aerobic fitness requires a strategic approach.

Drew Hammond, an experienced coach working with military special forces and civilian athletes, shares his unconventional journey into strength and conditioning. He challenges traditional periodization models and explains why flexibility and adaptability are key in training.

They also cover:

• How to balance strength and endurance for long-term success
• The importance of auto-regulation and how to use it in your training
• Tactical performance training: lessons from the military that apply to everyday athletes
• How mental resilience and recovery impact performance
• Training tools and methods to build strength, endurance, and durability

Resources Mentioned & Links

🔹 MOPs & MOEs Podcast – Drew’s podcast on tactical performance: https://www.mopsandmoes.com
🔹 Uphill Athlete – Strength & endurance training for alpinism and tactical athletes: https://www.uphillathlete.com
🔹 Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) Training Guide
🔹 Zone 2 Training Explained

BIO – Drew Hammond

Drew Hammond is a true expert on human performance. With over a decade training elite military forces, he’s spent his career optimizing endurance, resilience, and peak conditioning in the toughest environments.

Armed with a graduate degree in Strength and Conditioning from Edinburgh, he’s worked with top athletes worldwide, blending science with real-world experience.

As co-host of his own podcast MOPs and MOEs, he’s pushing the conversation forward—challenging what we know about health, tactical fitness, and human potential.

And when he’s not coaching? He’s putting his own limits to the test as a hybrid athlete, combining powerlifting and ironman training, just to see if it can be done.

Top 3 Actionable Takeaways 

✔ Prioritize Zone 2 Training – Aerobic endurance is the foundation of hybrid performance. Most people underutilize low-intensity, long-duration training.

✔ Use Auto-Regulation – Train according to perceived effort rather than rigid percentages to avoid injury and optimize gains.

✔ Focus on Durability, Not Just Strength – Hybrid athletes need to be strong AND injury-resistant. Don’t neglect recovery, flexibility, and functional movements.

Let’s Connect:

Work with me: Premier Cardiovascular Health

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chris.huff.9480

Instagram: @hufcm